The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 65

ingness of God. The point of their dia- Ver. 10.-The Lord God; literally, tM oourse is that "the Word of the Lord L<nd Jeh,n;ah. With strong hand; or, toith endureth for ever" (ver. 8), and therefore the strength. His arm shall rule for him. Kay precccling promises (verB. 2, 5) are sure. And transle.tee, "His arm shall get him rule;" he said; ro.ther, and one ,aid. A second i.e. the manifestation, which he shall make voice 11nswered the first, and asked what the of his power, shall cause his kingdom tn proclamation was to be. In reply its terms be extended far and wide upon the earlh. were given, All flesh is grass (comp. eh. "The Lord's arm," "the Lord's band," ar9 xxxvii. 27; and see also Job v. 25; Pa. xo. favourite expressions of Isaiah's ( eh. v. 25; 5; xcii. 7; ciii. 15). The goodlineaa thereof ix. 12; x. 4; xi. 11 ; xxxi. 3 ; li. 9; !iii. 1 ; is as the flower of the field. So Ephraim lxii. 3, etc.). Hi!! reward is with him, and was compared in cl1. xxviii. 1 to "a fo.cling his work before him; rather, hi-8 v;aoe i8 UJith, flower." The similitude is found also in him, and Ms recompense b jMe him-a case Job xiv. 2 and in Ps. ciii. 15. Homer ap- of synonymous paralleli~m. The phrase is proo.ches the idea in his well-known simile, repfated in eh. lxii. 11. Mr. Cheyne un- 0111 1rEp 4>vMr,,11 -y•v•¾/, -ro,fi6e ""l a.v6pwv derstands "the reward which God gives to (' Iliad,' vi. 146). his fe.ithfnl ones" to be meant. But perhaps Ver. 7.-The lower fadeth: beoanse the it is better to understand, with Dr. Kay, lhat Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it. When in the "little flock" which he restores to the hot wiuds, which God sends, blow in Palestine God finds his own reward and spring-time, the flowers fade; when a de- recompense-the compensation for all bis stroying breath from him (see eh. xxx. 33) care and trouble. passes over the generations of men, they Ver. 11.-Re shall feed his ilock like a perish. Surely the people is grass. Either shepherd. The similitude is a fe.vonrite one a mere repetition of" all ftesh is grass" (ver. with the psalmists (Ps. lxxvii. 20; l:!:xviii. 52; 6) with an asseveration, or an intimation that lxxx. I), and occurs again ]11ter on in Isaiah " the people " of Israel is not exempt from (xlix. 9, 10). Its beauty and sweetness have the lot of mankind in general, but shares it. been widely recognized. He shall gather the Ver. 8.-The Word of our God ahall atand lambs; collect them, i.e., when they hav9 for ever. An,id all human froilty, shifting- strayed from the flock. Bhall gently lead ness, changefulness, there is one thing tho.t those that are with young; rather, those that endures, o.nd shall eadure--God's Word (see give ruck (comp. Gen. x:uiii. 13, where the the comment on tho first part of ver. G). In same word is used). Ewes that are suckling the suronoss of God's promises is Isro.el's their lambs require specially tender treat- ex('eeding comfort. ment. Vars. 9-11.-The time ofisro.el'srestora- Vors.12-31.-TaF. MmnT AND GREATNESS tion ho.a dro.wn nigh. 'l'ho proparotion has OF GOD CONTRASTED WITH THE WEAKNESS beon made. The voice co.Hi ug to preparation O~• MAN AND THE FUTILITY OF IDOLS. If is silent. The promises o.re now on the verge of receiving their accomplishment. captive Israel is to be induced to turn to It is fitting that some one should announce God, ar.d so hasten the time of its restora- lhe fact to the nation. Isaiah oolls on the tion to his favour and to its own lnnd, it company of ·prophets living at the time to must be by rising to a worthy conception of do so (ver. 9). '!'hey are to to.ke up e. com- me.nding position, to speak .with e. loud lhe n11tnre nnd attributes of the Almighty. voice, and to proclaim the good tidings to The prophet, therefore, in the remainder or Zion, to Jcruse.lcm, and to the cities of this che.pter, paints in glorious language th~ Jndah (comp. eh. xliv. 26). The terms of power e.nd greatness, and at tho sa.me timo the proolame.tion are then given (vers. 10, the mercy, of God, contrasting him with 11). man (vers. 15-17, 23, 28-31), with idols Ver. 9.-0 Zion, that bringest good tidinga, (vers. 19, 20), and with the framework or etc.; re.ther, as in the margin, 0 t/1ou that telleat good tidings to Zion (so the LXX., me.terie.l things (vers. 21, 22, 26), nnd show- Gesenins, Rosenmiiller, Maurer, Hitzig, ing his in.finite superiority to en.eh and e.11. Knobel, nnd Kay). Get thee up into the In contrasting him with man, ho takes high mountain; rather, into a high mountain. occa.sion to bring into prominenoe his good- Choose e.n elevated ~pot from which to me.ke ness nnd loviug-kindness to man, to whom ho proclamation. 0 J'ernse.lem, that bringest, etc.; again, as in the mnrgiu, 0 thou that imports a portion of his own might and telleat good ti<lin!/B to Jerusalem. The repeti- strength (vors. 29-31). tion, with n slight change, is quite in the Vor.12.-Who bath mee.aured the watersl mnnner of Isaie.h. The owes of J'udah. (comp. Prov. xxx. 4 and Job xx.x.viii. 4-6). These would be in mine, no less than The might of Goel is especia.lly shown in Jerusalem herself (see oh. xlvi. 26: lxi.v. 10). creation, whioh lsaie.h assumes to be God's GS THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [OH, XL. 1-31.